Safety umbrella-rack



(No Model.)

W. HOEFT. SAFETY UMBRELLA RACK.

No. 600,583. Patented Mar. 15,1898.

HERhlAN \VILLIAM HOEFT,

rrrcn.

OF LA CROSSE, \VISCONSIN.

SAFETY UMBRELLA-RACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Application filed July 21,1897.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HERMAN \VILLIAM HOEF'I, a citizen of the United States, residing at La Crosse, in the county of La Crosse and State of \Visconsimhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Umbrella- Racks; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to safety umbrellaracks, and has for its object the production of a cheap, durable, and convenient holder for umbrellas and canes from which such articles once placed properly in position cannot be directly removed without attracting atten tion. l

Another object of myinvention is to provide a depository for umbrellas and canes whereon they may be secured against removal without the use of lock hooks or clasps.

My invention consists in a frame the up right and horizontal members of which are hinged together or otherwise pivotally connected. Through the lower horizontal member or base-board of the frame orifices are bored to receive the points of the umbrellas, and pivotally supported at the ends by the uprights of the frame is a grid or grating through which the umbrellas are passed before reaching the orifices. Normally the parts named would retain an umbrella vertically. In the topmost horizontal member of the frame are cut open recesses having relatively small mouths inclined to the vertical. Through the mouth of any recess the handle of an umbrella can only be passed in or out when inclined at substantially the same angle. My invention permits the entire frame to be swung upon its hinges in such manner as to aline orifices, grating-openings, and recessmouths, allowing an umbrella to be placed in position. The frame, left to itself, returns to the vertical, being spring-operated, and, as the umbrella-handle cannot be sufficiently inclined to repass the comparatively narrow mouth, it is effectively secured. In connection with and actuated by movement of the Patent No. 600,533, dated March 15, 1898.

Serial No. 845,436. (No model.)

frame is an indicator or alarm arranged to give visible or audible notice at places near by or remote that the rack is being operated.

Each constituent element of my invention is described in detail and its office, together with the mode of operation of the whole, fully explained herein.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein like letters are used to design ate like parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a base-board provided with two of my inventions in parallel. Fig. 2 is a detail explanatory delineation introduced to show the mode of opera tion, and Fig. 3 a perspective view of a portion of the base-board inverted to show one form and arrangement of springs to return the frame to its upright attitude and one form of alarm-bell with connections.

Considering Fig. 1, A marks the leg-pieces of any chosen design; 13, a base-board pierced by orifices b.

It will be noted that room is afforded beneath the base-board for a drip-pan 0. As a given base-board may carry any number of my inventions suitably arranged, a description of one of the two shown will answer for all.

designated D and E, the topmost horizontal member F, the four hinges connecting the members by letters G H J K.

Letters L and M mark two slats or bars pivotally supported by pins Z and Z, parallel with each other and upon opposite sides of uprights D E. Between the uprights parallel wires or rods m join the two slats and divide the intervening space into a sort of grid or grating, affording a separate stall for each umbrella. It is intended, as shown, to have one orifice i) fall directly below the middle of each stall in order that when the uprights are perpendicular an umbrella would be held practically vertical by these particular parts.

Letter N designates the recesses formed within the member F, and each recess has a mouth 0, inclined to the perpendicular from the base-board.

Arms P and Q, as my invention is ordinarily made, are attached to the lower ends of uprights D and project downwardly, the base-board being cut away for that purpose.

The upright members of the frame are Considering Fig. 3, which is a View from below the base, the lower ends of arms P Q, are seen to converge, and they are connected, respectively, with springs R S, the latterin turn being fixed to block T, which is secured to the bottom of the base-board. Furthermore, the extremities of arms P Q are attached to a second pair of springs U V, which joinin a common bell-pull W, adapted to ring the alarmbell Y, usually fixed to block T.

I do not confine myself to the form of alarm set out herein, as it is believed to be within the scope of my invention to employ any common bell-ringing or indicating device. It is thought to be clear, also, that the bell-pull W may be led to a remote point, as to the desk of the clerk in a hotel or cashier in a restaurant, and any chosen indicator may be employed in connection With the alarm or independent of it. By the introduction of perfectly Well-known mechanism an electrical circuit may be broken or closed by the operation of the frame and notice given thereof upon electromagnetically-actuated signal devices.

Fig. 2 best sets out the manner of using my invention. It will be noted that the nearer frame is inclined, thereby alining orifices, stall, and recess mouths. To permit this movement, hinges G K must manifestly open oppositely with relation to hinges II J. The inclining movements of the frames force the lower points of arms P Q outwardly and stretch spring R or S, depending upon which frame is operated, and at the same time the bell-spring and pull are drawn upon, causing the sounding of the alarm. After placing the umbrella as represented in the first fractional frame of Fig. 2 it will be understood that its controlling-spring R will return the frame to a position as shown by the rear fractional frame in Fig. 2that is to say, a vertical position. \Vhile the handle of the umbrella is readily passed through the mouth of the recess when all parts are inclined, the lower corner 0 and upper corner 0 of opposite sides of any month reach too near a perpendicular from the b'aserepresented, for example, by the axis of the umbrellastickto permit its direct Withdrawal while in its constrained Vertical position, due to the coaction of stall and orifice 1).

Having thus described my invention,what I claim, and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a safety umbrella-rack, a frame consisting of members joined pivotally, the normal shape of said frame being a rectangle,

the members of said frame adapted to be in-' clined thereby changing the rectangular into a rhomboidal form, springs arranged to return said frame to its normal rectangular shape, the base of said frame provided with socket-orifices, a grid pivotally attached to opposite side members of said frame and affordin g a series of stalls, the topmost member of said frame having a series of recesses each possessing an inclined mouth, substantially as described.

2. In a safety umbrella-rack, a frame consisting of members joined pivotally, the nor: mal shape of said frame being a rectangle, the members of said frame adapted to be inclined thereby changing the rectangular into a rhomboidal form, springs arrangedv to return said frame to its normal rectangular shape, means for confining the inclinatory movement of the frame to one side only of a perpendicular to the base of said frame, the base of said frame provided with socket-orifices, a grid pivotally attached to opposite side members of said frame and affording a series of stalls, the topmost member of said frame having a series of recesses each possessing an inclined mouth, substantially as described.

3. In a safety umbrella-rack, a frame consisting of base B having orifices 17, side pieces D and E, and top piece F, piece F having a series of recesses provided with inclined mouths, said pieces joined by hinges G, H, J, K, a grid pivotally attached to said side pieces, spring-operated devices for returning said frame toa rectangular shape, an alarmsignal, and connections whereby the inclinatory movement of the frame actuates the signal, substantially as described.

, In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

HERMAN \VILLIAM HOEFT.

Witnesses:

L. P. GoRDELL, E. J. DANIELS. 

